Washington Post - Guild News

Members Say:

'Save Our Union'

 

Guild members have strongly rejected Washington Post management’s attempts to strip union protections out of the contract. At a capacity-crowd membership meeting at the historic AME Church, Post employees said yesterday that they had no interest in surrendering to the terms Post management is trying to foist upon them. By contrast, members voiced strong support for a number of actions to push the paper to reach a fair settlement –- two months since our contract expired.

Bargaining committee members made presentations on pay, vacations and other areas still at issue in negotiations. But the topic of union security drew the strongest response, as a hearty call to resist The Post’s effort to undermine Guild membership rules prompted the meeting’s first round of applause.

Management's proposal, which would allow employees to quit the union any time, was described by Guild negotiators as an aggressive union-busting move that could, two or three contracts into the future, mean the death of the Guild at The Post. The current system in our 20-year-old open-shop arrangement -- which features a one-month annual window period during which members may resign -- was contrasted to those of many other top-tier papers in which union membership is mandatory for most if not all employees
covered by the contract.

"Post management talks about 'freedom to choose,' but members already have freedom to choose: They can choose to join or not, which is not the case at most of the nation’s best newspapers. And members have an annual opportunity to resign," said Post unit co-chair Rick Weiss. "It’s gratifying that Guild-covered employees, including many who are not members themselves, recognize what The Post is trying to get away with here and appreciate the importance of having a union at The Post."

"As members who exercised your individual freedom to join the Guild," added unit co-chair Darlene Meyer, "all of you recognize the benefits of group action and the importance of cohesion. What the Post seeks to do is destroy what a majority of us have chosen. Let us all send a clear message to the Washington Post: 'Hands off the Guild.'"

Turning Up the Heat

Given Post management’s ongoing refusal to back off the union security issue and work out a decent compromise on wages and other key issues, members discussed various tactics that would show management our resolve. Among those that found strong backing was a reprise of the byline strike that drew national and international attention in June. The next one, though, would be longer. June’s action gave management a loud and clear message that virtually every writer in the newsroom was insulted by The Post’s bargaining position. The next action would demonstrate that those sentiments remain as strong as ever.

Also drawing strong interest was a proposal to enlist readers and advertisers in the cause. Under one option that attracted great support, subscribers throughout the metropolitan area would be asked to sign pledge card stating that they are ready and willing to cancel their subscriptions or advertising if the Guild so requests. Several local labor organizations representing thousands of local workers have already expressed willingness to assist in such an effort. The pledge cards, once collected, would be delivered to upper
management as a show of community support and to send a message that The Post’s anti-union stance is offensive to many more than just Post employees.

Widening the Circle

Of the many ideas discussed or debated at the meeting, perhaps the most important was also the most fundamental: the continued need to reach out to colleagues. Organizing has been a phenomenal success this year -- 264 new members, with just a half-dozen dropouts since the window opened. But much more can be done, members said, if more people take the initiative themselves or team up to approach co-workers. Many members expressed a commitment to enlist new members in their departments, in part to show Post
management that its attitude is bound to backfire.

Bargaining committee members also strongly encouraged the involvement of more members in other efforts, small or large, that help give our voluntary organization its strength and influence.

Toward that end, in lieu of our usual lunchtime picketing at the Post, members are asked to come to the Guild office this Wednesday, July 24, between 12:30 and 2 p.m., to get tips and material to help sign up non-members. Pizza will be served.

(Most Guild officers and stewards at the Post also have membership materials. For more information, contact Calvin Zon, of the Guild local staff, at 785-3650, Ext.17.)

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Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild, Local 32035 TNG-CWA, AFL-CIO/ 1100 15th St., NW, Suite 350 Washington, DC 20005/ 202-785-3650 /Fax: 202-7859

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